In the future, many types of applications including software will be downloadable to user stations such as mobile stations, personal computers and cellular phones in a manner that is largely unnoticeable to the user because the applications will be automatically downloadable and executable, and will require no special effort by the user to load and execute. This will be possible while also preserving copy-protection measures of the application and while also automatically routing billing information to appropriate authorities. Therefore, the user will simply place an order for an application, and all other steps will be performed automatically. This is roughly comparable to the present computer software business wherein it is possible to download executable applications from the Internet for example. However, there is a great problem with software piracy in the traditional software industry. The present invention is directed towards preventing illegal use of applications for user stations such as mobile stations and personal computers and is also directed towards the direct delivery and distribution of executable applications directly to the user of the user stations.
More specifically, in reference to the prior art, it is known to use copy protection of personal computer (PC) software distributed on diskettes by providing a unique identification code (ID) stored in read only memory (ROM) of a personal computer in which the software on the diskette is to be used. This personal computer ID is accessible to the user of the computer. A vendor who wishes to protect his diskette-distributed software from illegal copying or use provides a source ID on the diskette. The personal computer ID is used with the source ID on the distributed diskette to produce an encoded check word, using any available encryption modality. The check word is generated and written onto the distributed diskette during installation and copies onto all backup versions made by the user's personal computer. Prior to each use of the program, the software on the diskette uses the personal computer and the source IDs and check word to verify that the software is being used on the same personal computer on which it was installed. A disadvantages of this method is reliance upon physically sending a disk to the user from the vendor. Another disadvantage of this method is the possibility that the application may be copied before it is installed, and before a check word is created. Additionally, the check word can be easily located, if it is separated from the application.
It is also known to use a copy protection mechanism for protecting software against copying, consisting of a challenge mechanism embedded in each protected item of software. The challenge mechanism has no access to the customer's private keying material. In operation, the challenge mechanism sends a random challenge to the customer's signature server. The signature server signs the challenge, using the customer's private keying material and them returns the signed challenge to the challenge mechanism. The challenge mechanism then verifies the signed challenge, using the customer's public keying material, and prohibits the customer from using some or all of the protected item of software unless the verification is successful. The mechanism permits every customer to receive an identical copy of the copy protected program with the embedded challenge mechanism. The disadvantages of this method include not sending a specifically dedicated version of the software to the customer, but rather the customer receives a template version which will function with many different codes making it easier to violate the copy-protection.
In regard to mobile phones and cellular communications in general, it is known to download copy-protected software applications to the mobile station from a server via a wireless network. However, any required unlocking codes are not provided automatically in the art, but rather require the user to make a separate contact or transaction with the manufacturer to receive the unlocking codes. Then, the user must install the unlocking codes in the software application and/or mobile station. These steps are time consuming and inconvenient for users. Wireless mobile station users also do not like to spend relatively long periods of time accessing wireless networks due to battery limitations of mobile stations, fees associated with air time, and potential for connections being dropped during downloading. Therefore, there is a need for timely and convenient downloading and verification processes which do not require active, difficult, or time consuming, user participation. Therefore, from a user's point of view, the capability to run a new application immediately after downloading is of paramount importance.
It is also known to use a method for checking the compatibility of a mobile station and a functional unit such as an application. A reference code is calculated in the mobile station and the functional unit by using algorithms which use initial numbers given by the mobile station, and the results are compared in the mobile station. On the basis of the comparison it is concluded, whether or not to activate the functional unit. In order to carry out the check measures, a check message including preferably name of the mobile station manufacturer/agent International Mobile Station Equipment Identity (IMEI) code, the product code, the version data, and a random number, is transmitted to the functional unit. Then a response message including preferably name of the functional unit manufacturer/agent, serial number, text message indicated by the functional unit, version data, and reference code, is transmitted from the functional unit to the mobile station. The disadvantages of this system include requiring the user to separately continue with the time-consuming separate steps of installation of any necessary application unlocking codes, as discussed above for example.
Therefore, in view of the prior art above, there is a need for dedicated software applications which prevent illegal copying from being useful and which can be downloaded directly to user stations such as a mobile station or a personal computer, via a network or via media, and which are immediately usable or executable only by that particular user station, such as a mobile station, without requiring the user to perform additional time-consuming and bothersome steps such as contacting the manufacturer for an unlocking code. There is also a need for eliminating contact between the manufacturer of application (or the manufacturer of the user stations) and the user when downloading or receiving new applications which is solved by having the user deal directly with a distributor such as an independent distributor who can provide services formally reserved for manufacturers only such as providing specific user stations codes. The invention envisions many potential distribution media and distribution structures for the applications including, but not limited to, wireless networks, magnetic or optical media, web-based www sites, .TAR files, .AOS files, personal computers, and smart cards.